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THE WORLD OF SCENTS AT FRAGRANCES

Tuesday, February 28, 2017, 7 pm

 

Humans live in worlds of varying degrees of perception— something obvious to anyone who’s ever ridden a subway or city bus. It’s always an eye-opening experience to interact with people trained to identify smells, particularly when they also have a knack for associating them with memorable fragrances from our lives. Indeed, one’s own scent is something that we perceive as much more intimate than, say, the sound of our own voice or even our own appearance.
Scents have the ability to move us. A mere hint of a patented commercial fragrance can immediately return us to our childhood. Aromas of lavender transport us to the fragrant Provence countryside, while the dried spice of mountain thyme evokes the torments of summiting a high alpine peak. German prioritizes the sense at a metaphorical level; where in English personal and professional bonds are built on “feeling” or “hearing” other people, the Teutons convey the same idea by saying that one must “smell them”.

Tickets here

Perfumers, chefs and sommeliers in particular are immersed in the olfactory properties of foodstuffs, beverages and substances. Aromatic pairing is essential for their vocations. Barkeepers have also recently begun exploring the impact of aromas, creating captivating cocktails with a focus on the complex world of scents. Arnd Heissen is the Baptiste Grenoille of the Berlin scene. He became head bartender of the Ritz-Carlton’s Fragrances back in 2015, an unbelievably lovely bar dedicated to this one persistent theme.
On this evening we’ll hear 5 short stories, underscored by 5 distinctive scents. The relevant aromas are then used not only in a cocktail, but also in 5 individual courses from the legendary kitchen of the Ritz-Carlton. Sabrina Schanz, the luxury hotel’s pâtissière and a deliciously familiar figure to diners at the First Floor, will be conjuring up the desserts. The pastry team at that restaurant, then under the leadership of Karina Appeldorn yet now sadly closed, earned the title of “Pâtissière of the Year 2015” from Gault&Millau. A truly superlative accolade and an achievement to which Sabrina Schanz contributed significantly.
By this point you should have noticed that the evening will be filled with heroes of extraordinary, even unique expertise in their field. The wonderful ambiance of the Fragrances bar in the luxurious Ritz-Carlton on Potsdamer Platz will lend an air of glitz and glamor to an already unforgettable evening with Arnd Heissen and Sabrina Schanz.

5 Fragrances Cocktails, 5 course menu,  5 short storys
open doors 6.30 pm, start 7 pm
Tickets: 139,00€

The Ritz-Carlton Berlin, Potsdamer Platz 3, 10785 Berlin